Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-08-12


three instead of one. Workingmen who
formerly spent great part of their
money for liquor now spend it in food
and clothes for their families. The Ie-
tail grocerymen sell more goods and col
lect their bills better than ever before.
Tins they are able to settle more
ricmptly with the wholesale men.
A perceptible increase has been no
ticed in the number of people who ride
on the street cars. According to the
coal dealers, many people bought coal
and stored it away last winter who had
never been known to do so before.
Others who had been accustomed TO
buying two or three tons on time, this
last winter bought seven or eight and
paid cash for it. A leading proprietor
of millinery store said that he had sold
more hats and bonnets to laboring men
for their wives and daughters than ever
before in the history Of his business.
Contractors say their men do better
work, and on Saturday evenings, when
they receive their weeks wages, spend
the same for flour, hams, dry goods, or
other necessary things for their families.
Thus they are in better spirits, have
more hope, and are not inclined to strike
and growl about higher wages.
Attendance upon the public schools
has increased. The superintendent of
public instruction said, in his report to
the Board of Education, made January
1st, 1887:
"During the past year 1t has become a
subject of remark by teachers in the
schools and by visitors, that the children
were more tidy, were better dressed,
were better shod, and presented neater
appearance than ever before. Less
trouble has been experienced in having
parents purchase books required by the
rules, few children have been Withdrawn
to aid in supporting the family, the
higher classes in the grammar schools
have been fuller, and more children
have been promoted to the high schools,
both male and female, than ever before
in the history of the schools. All these
indications point to the increased pros
perity Of the city, and to the growing
interest in the cause of education on the
part of the people"
There has been marked increase in
attendance upon the Sunday Schools of
the city. This is especially noticeable
among the suburban churches. Many
children have started to the Sunday
Schools who were not able to attend for
want of proper clothing. Attendance
upon the different churches is far bet
ter. From fifteen hundred to two thou
sand people have joined the various
churches of the city during the year.
The determination on the part of the
people to prohibit the liquor traffic has
stimulated disposition to do away with
other evils. The laws against gambling
are rigidly enforced. A considerable
stock of gamblers tools gathered to-
gether by the police for several years
past was recently used for the purpose
of making large bonfire OH one of the
unoccupied squares of the city. The
City Council has refused longer to
grant license to bucket shops, thus put
ting the seal of its condemnation upon
the trade in futures of all kinds.
All these reforms have had decided
tendency to diminish crime. Two weeks
were necessary formerly to get through
with the criminal docket. During the
present year it was closed out in two
days. The chain-gang is almost left
with nothing but the chains and balls.
The gang part would not be large
enough to work the public roads of the
county were it not augmented by fresh
supplies from the surrounding counties.
The city government is in the hands of
our best citizens.
The majority in this county in favor
of prohibition was only 235. Such a
change has taken place in public senti-
ment, however, that now there is hard
ly respectable anti-prohibitionist in
the city who favors a return to the bar
rooms. There are some who would pre-.
fer high license, or its sale by the gal
Ion, but it is remarkable fact that there
is 10 disposition 10 have the saloon OPEN
ed again. The bar-rOom has gone from
Atlanta forever, and the people with re-
markable unanimity say amen! There
is very little drinking in the city. There
has been forty per cent. falling off in
the number Of arrests, notwithstanding
there has been rigid Interpretation Of
the law under which arrests are made.
Formerly if man was sober enough to
walk home he was not molested. Now
If there is the slightest variation from
that state in which the center Of gravity
falls in line inside the base, the party
5 made to answer for such variation at
the station house.
Our experience has demonstrated to
us beyond a doubt that city Of sixty
thousand inhabitants can get along and
advance at solid aud constant rate
without the liquor traffic.
The SpIendors Of n fearse.